Some Secrets Are Meant To Be Kept
by ThatClichedWriter
Summary: AU. Leila Potter was never an ordinary girl. Sister of BWL and Queen of Hogwarts, weird things happened around her. But when seven books about her life arrive from the future, things really start getting messed up. The dead come back to life, future travels to past and worst of all, her secrets are revealed to the world. Beware Hogwarts, because some secrets are meant to be kept...
1. Prologue

**Some Secrets Are Meant To Be Kept- or otherwise known as Leila Potter, the Twin Who Lived**

**Summary: AU. Leila Potter is just an ordinary girl. Okay, that's a lie. Leila Potter isn't an ordinary girl. She's the twin sister of the BWL, a best friend and a girl friend of a Black (formally Malfoy), and the entire country of Britain thinks she's a liar. She's been fighting for her life since she was nine, and ended up getting chosen by Hogwarts. But when seven books about her life arrive from the future, things really start getting messed up. The dead come back to life, the future travels to past, and worst of all, her secrets are revealed to the world. Beware Hogwarts, because some secrets are meant to be kept...**

**Disclaimer: All rights belong to J.K. Rowling. I only own the OCs that I have created.**

**AN: This is an AU story, which means that it will vary from Canon. In this fanfiction, Harry Potter has a twin sister named Leila Potter, who is ten minutes older than Harry. Nymphadora Tonks also has a younger sister named Reyna Tonks, who is currently in fifth year. Terry Boot will be a muggleborn. There will also be other Original Characters that I have created. The explanations about them will come up in later chapters. I realize that a lot of things that happen in this story definitely did not happen in Canon, and I am not trying to say that it did. If there is anything that you do not recognize from Canon, they are all a figment of my imagination. This is a 'reading the books' fanfiction, a 'Harry has a twin sister' fanfiction, and the 'wrong Boy Who Lived' fanfiction all rolled into one. I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

Leila Potter slammed her head down against the table inside the Great Hall during breakfast, one Monday morning. In one hand, she was holding yet another Daily Prophet newspaper, with slanders against her all across the front page, this time titled, "**The Sister of the Boy Who Lived- an attention seeking whore**". However, that wasn't the worst part. Leila kept staring at the name Percy Weasley mentioned in the article- apparently he had given a statement saying Leila had been sleeping around during his time at Hogwarts- even attempting to sleep with him a few times. That was a lie of course, but it didn't stop from hurting so much.

"Are you okay, Leila?" Neville's voice asked. She had bitten down on her lips too hard, it seemed. She could taste the blood in her mouth.

"Do you want to go see Madame Pomfrey?" Neville sounded worried.

"No, Neville." She said. "I'll be fine. I'm just tired, that's all." Her voice sounded fake, even to her ears. Leila couldn't help it. She had been having a horrible headache curtsey of Voldie the Snake face for weeks now. No potions or muggle medication would help with the pain, and the best she could do was just grit her teeth and suck it up. She'd had another detention with the Toad last night, her hand was still stinging, the scars were only covered beneath layers of muggle concealer, and glamours. Umbitch threatened to use the cruciatus curse on her in her next detention, waving away her claim that it was illegal by saying nothing that Fudge doesn't know won't hurt him. She also threatened consequences in case she told anyone, as no one had any power over her currently. Sadly, Leila knew every single of her threats were true. Umbridge didn't look it, but she was dangerous, and no matter what, she had a lot of influence and power on her side, that could destroy anyone she wanted to.

Leila could feel Draco's concerned gaze on her, and she nodded to him as if to say that she was okay. She knew Draco wouldn't believe it, but he would leave it alone for now. Just as she took a piece of toast and began to nibble on it, the High Inquisitor entered the hall in all her pink, gag-inducing glory. She stood up, and cleared her throat, making many students and teachers look at her in disgust.

"Hem, hem. Students and teachers, if I could please have your attention please?" Merlin and Morganna, what did the toady want now? Slowly and grudgingly, the students began to turn their attention to the pink toad.

"Good morning, Hogwarts!" she exclaimed brightly.

Silence. Umbridge frowned.

"I would like you to say to me, good morning, Professor Umbridge, please. Let's try this again, good morning, Hogwarts!" she said patronizingly, like she was speaking to a group of five year olds.

"Good morning, professor Umbridge." The students murmured back half-heartedly. Umbridge grinned, and Leila turned herself away momentarily from the sickening sight. She caught sight of Reyna, making gagging faces at her from the Hufflepuff table. Leila smiled, feeling a bit better, and turned back towards the front as Umbridge began to speak again.

"I have an interesting announcement to make to you, students. Last night, I was in my office after a detention with one of the students." Leila scowled. The bitch was talking about her. "And I received a very... special delivery."

"A love letter from Filch?" Fred muttered. The Gryffindors around him held back a smile.

"The delivery, was a series of books... from the future." There was a few gasps at that, but most students looked like they didn't believe her. Leila though, began to get a bad feeling in her gut, and felt apprehensive.

"The books, seven in total, is about one of the students here, and yes, I am talking about you, Miss Potter. There was a letter that was delivered along with the letter, and it said that it will reveal the truth about all the lies that you have been telling this year, Miss Potter. The books are written in Miss Potter's point of view, detailing every year of Hogwarts, Miss Potter has been studying. And I, after much consideration, have decided to read this out to the whole school, inviting a few special guests along with us." Some students gasps, others sceptical, and some, particularly Parkinson and Smith, gleeful.

Terry stood up. "You can't do that, can she, professors? This is an invasion of privacy." He protested, others nodding, especially the members of the Army of Hogwarts, and most of the Gryffindors and Slytherins.

"I am afraid not, Mister Boot. If the facts are true, which can be checked by a truth charm, there is no law prohibiting this. Unless Miss Potter is afraid to reveal the truth about the lies she has been telling, it is perfectly legal. I have checked them several times with all the truth charms I know, and all the professors are free to check them as well." Umbridge sounded absolutely delighted.

And meanwhile, Leila was cornered. If she accepted, every single secret she has had, every single rule-breaking and pranks she had done, even all the laws she broke would be revealed. Everyone would know about her past; her life at the Dursleys, Patrick. All of her secrets, private moments, weaknesses.

However, it would prove to everyone that Voldemort was indeed back, and reveal Sirius's innocence, and Hagrid's unjust expulsion, amongst many other things. She glanced at her twin, and saw him looking at her straight in the eye, for once in a very long time. She saw pleading in his face, as well as hope. She knew why Harry wanted her to do this. If she agreed, the whole school would know of Sirius's innocence, and he would be able to live with his godfather. And no matter how much she didn't want to, she knew that she would never be able to refuse her twin anything, even if he still hated her.

She needed to check for the proofs, though so she stood up, and asked.

"I agree to read, but I need answer to some questions first. Who sent them? You said a letter arrived with the books, could you let Professor McGonagall read it out to the hall?"

Umbridge scowled at her, but nonetheless, took out a crispy folded piece of parchment and handed it to Professor McGonagall, who was seated next to her. McGonagall began to read.

"**To Professor Dolores Umbridge **

**Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic.**

**Professor of Defence Against Dark Arts**

**High Inquisitor**

**Year of 1996**

**Hello**

**My name is G.P.B, and I am from the year 2018.**

**I have sent you a package, containing this letter and seven books titled Leila Potter, the Twin Who Lived.**

**The books contain details of Potter's years in Hogwarts, all seven of them. They are complete truths, and they were made by a team of Unspeakables. **

**Two of the books will show the future, and the books will reveal the truth of the stories about Voldemort.**

**The books will prove they are true if you use the truth charm on them.**

**Please read the books out loud in the great hall with all the students, teachers and the guests whose name is provided in the list below assembled.**

**You must take turns reading the books, and you must read all of them.**

**No punishments will be given from what the books reveal until the very end.**

**Please hold any judgements until all seven books are finished.**

**Thank You,**

**G.P.B, A.R.B, A.L.B**

**P.S. Please invite the following people:**

**Cornelius Fudge**

**Amelia Bones**

**Albus Dumbledore**

**Kingsley Shacklebolt**

**Arthur Weasley**

**Molly Weasley**

**Bill Weasley**

**Charlie Weasley**

**Percy Weasley**

**Augusta Longbottom**

**Xenophilius Lovegood**

**Fleur Delacour**

**Gabrielle Delacour**

**Victor Krum**

**Members of the Order of the Phoenix**

**Dobby**

**Winky**

**There will be few more special guests arriving shortly once everyone on the list is present.**

Umbridge then performed a few different truth charms on them, verifying their truth, then motioned for all the teachers to do the same. One by one, McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout, Snape, and all the other teachers performed complex truth charms, every single one turning up positive. Umbridge sent her a smug look, as if to say, see?

Umbridge spoke again. "The classes are cancelled for now. You may go get changed into more comfortable clothes, and we will assemble back here at nine o' clock, sharp. You have one hour. We will, then begin the reading."

* * *

One hour later, everyone was seated at the Great Hall, with the exception of two people; Leila Potter, whom this book was actually about, and Draco Black (Formally Malfoy), her best friend, and boyfriend. The two in question, were currently standing outside the doors to the Great Hall, the red headed witch taking deep breaths, trying to calm herself down, and the blonde haired wizard waiting patiently for her.

Leila had changed out of her Hogwarts robes, and was now wearing her regular outfit- dark skinny jeans, a t-shirt, and her silver belt, with her trademark dagger sheathed as usual. Her hair was down, hanging to her waist, like it usually was outside of class. At her feet was Kairo, her half wolf-dog, trying his best to offer comfort to his mistress.

Draco was also wearing muggle jeans, and a grey sweatshirt, and in her opinion, looking hot as usual, though she'd never ever tell him that. He had his arm around her shoulders, trying to prevent her from going into full-on rant mode that she had been in for the last half-hour.

Leila smiled at him slightly, then looked back at the doors, and squared her shoulders. Straightening her spine, she controlled her facial expressions, adjusting it back to the cold, stoic look most people saw when they looked at the red-haired Queen of Hogwarts. Clenching her teeth, she took a final breath, and ignoring her instinct that warned her that this was a horrible idea, she quickly squeezed Draco's hand that was now hanging by his side, she reached forward, opened the set of doors in front of her, and stepped inside.

* * *

The Great Hall had gone through a major transformation. Instead of the four house tables, someone (most likely McGonagall, the Transfiguration professor) had pushed aside the long tables, and instead in its place, conjured many small-to-medium sized tables around the big room, with soft and comfy looking armchairs around them. The only thing that remained unchanged was the long staff table at the front of the room, with all the professors already seated before it.

None of the occupants of the Hall looked too happy about their delay, but if they were going to read a book about her private thoughts, Leila figured they could afford to wait a little anyway. Keeping her blank face on, she, accompanied by Draco and her pet, walked to the medium sized table that could hold around eight people at the very back of the room, where Terry and Reyna were already seated, holding their seats for them. They sat, Leila facing Reyna, and Draco on her left, Kairo curled around her feet, and waited for someone to speak.

"Well then," began Umbridge, her annoyingly sugary voice dripping like poison, "now that Ms Potter decided to grace us with her presence, we will now be able to begin revealing the truth soon. The guests are arriving now as we speak, and this situation has already been explained to them. I have also been informed-" and here she was cut off, by the doors opening yet again.

In walked all the guests specified in the letter. Cornelius Fudge and Amelia Bones led the crowd, Fudge looking pompous with Amelia looking stern. Behind them followed Percy Weasley, not even glancing at Leila, and Leila trying to control her emotions as the person who she had looked up to as an older brother ignored her. Of course, he had also spread all her secrets, and many lies about her to the press, and had called her names to her face few months ago. Some older brother he was, let alone a friend.

Behind them, followed the Order of Phoenix, Dumbledore leading them, and many students let out a cheer at seeing their old headmaster back again, although Leila was not one of them. The vibrant, orange-red hair of Weasleys also passed, Bill and Charlie sending a friendly smile at her, which she responded with a nod, and Mr. Weasley also raising his hands at her, in a salute. Nymphadora walked in with them, with her hair pink as usual. She stopped by their table to give her sister a quick hug, winked at Leila and Draco, before moving on. Er... attempting to walk on, before she tripped and almost face planted. Terry quickly caught his girlfriend's sister, as she thanked him with a slight grin, embarrassed.

Lupin and Sirius Black also entered the hall, causing the students to scream at the sight of the infamous Azkaban prisoner, until Dumbledore signalled them to calm down. After all, if Dumbledore said it was safe, who were they to question? (Note the sarcasm.)

Fleur Delacour and Viktor Krum also walked in, both sending a warm smile to their formal fellow tri-wizard competitor. Gabrielle, bouncing next to her sister, gave her a quick hug, before moving on, and sitting down next to Fleur, and her sister's boyfriend, Bill.

Draco squeezed Leila's hand, and Leila quickly smiled at him, then called out, "Dobby, Winky!" Two pops announced their arrival.

"Did Queen Lei-la call for us?" Leila couldn't help smile fondly at them.

"Hello, Dobby, Winky. We are here to read a book about my life. Do you mind sitting here and reading it with us?" They nodded their head rapidly.

"Yes, Missy Leila. Dobby and Winky would be honoured to read about our lady's life, Leila Potter, miss." Draco grinned at them.

"Great! Thanks, Dobby. Winky." Dobby and Winky quickly bowed to Leila and Draco, and sat down at the nearest table. When Reyna tried to get them to sit with them, they quickly said they couldn't 'sit at the same table with the great Miss Potter herself'. And for now, they just let it be.

Umbridge was scowling at how long that had taken.

"Hem, Hem. As I was saying, I had been informed by Mr. G.P.B, that there will be a few more special guests arriving after the first chapter. So if we may now begin?" The pink toad demanded. Umbridge picked up the first book and floated it to Leila, who were glaring at her.

"The first book is called Leila Potter and the Philosopher's stone. If Miss Potter would like to begin?"

"I'd rather not, ma'am." Leila answered.

"Well, Miss Potter, it appears you have no choice. Unless you'd like to get another detention, you may now begin." Leila imagined burning a hole into her forehead, but when Umbitch raised her eyebrows at her, she had no choice but to begin, her left hand still stinging from last night.

Leila sighed. **"Chapter One, the Twins Who Lived."**

* * *

**AN: I wasn't planning to start this before I updated the Power He Never Knew, but as I seemed to be stuck in a writer's block for my other story, I decided to start a new fanfiction. As I mentioned earlier, this fanfiction will be a combination of several of HP fanfiction clichés, but with a twist (or several) to them.**

**I know there are several of these kinds of stories, but please give this one a try. If you have any questions, please leave them in a review, and I'll try to answer the ones I can in ANs, or within the story.**

**As I will be writing this with the Power He Never Knew, the updates will be slow, so please just keep watching! I will get back to the PHNK as soon as I get out of this little pesky writer's block. I'm sorry for those of you who are waiting for it.**

**Just in case any of you were wondering, the main character Leila in this fanfiction is in no way modelled after me, even though she shares the same name as my pseudonym.**

**I hope all of you had a Merry Christmas (or any other holidays you might celebrate), and Happy New Year!**

**Love,**

**Leila xo**


	2. Chapter 1: The Twins Who Lived

**Disclaimer: All rights belong to J. .**

* * *

Leila sighed. **"Chapter One, the Twins Who Lived,"** Leila read.

**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.**

"But being Perfectly Normal is so boring!" George shouted, just as Fred shouted,

"You're not welcome!", grinning.

As the students laughed at the twins' antics, Umbridge was scowling at the interruptions from the first sentence. Leila continued reading only after the laughters died down completely, wanting to delay as long as possible.

**They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with that nonsense.**

**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills.**

"What are drills?" asked Hope Parker, a Slytherin first year who Leila and Draco had taken under their wings.

Leila smiled at Hope. "A drill is a muggle device that makes holes in the walls for constructive purposes."

"Oh." She said. "How does it work?"

Leila frowned. "You know, I don't really know myself, because I'm not really interested in it. You can ask Terry the Mr. walking encyclopedia later though."

"Okay." Hope agreed, just as Terry said, "Hey!"

**He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large moustache.** **Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck,** **which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbours.**

"That's an incredibly accurate description." Draco snorted, next to her, as he put his arms around her shoulders again.

Leila gave him a faint amused smirk, before continuing.

**The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.**

Harry rolled his eyes. Since when was Dudley small? And 'no finer boy anywhere'? Puh-leeze.

**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters.**

"What's wrong with the Potters?" Professor McGonagall exclaimed, incensed at the insult at some of her lions, as did some of Leila and Harry's friends.

Umbridge internally thought, 'Everything.' _Bitch._

"Hem, Hem!" Umbridge cleared her throat. "If we could please get back to the book with NO interruptions?"

Leila was mentally thinking 'Darn,' as she glanced down at the wretched book again.

**Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister,** **but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister,**

Some of the people in the Hall gasped.

"They are a horrible people!" Hermione Granger exclaimed, as she figured out who they were reading about.

Leila rolled her eyes. "You _just _figured that out, Granger?"

"Shut up, Potter!" Ron Weasley shouted. Leila merely sneered in his direction.

"That's awful." Parvati was murmuring from next to Dean. She was imagining what it would be like if _she _didn't see Padma for several years, let alone pretend she didn't have a sister.

"Family should be the most important thing of all."

Harry winced slightly as he shot a glance at Leila, his sister whom he had been angry at for years. He felt a slight twinge of guilt before he squished it down.

'It's Leila's fault. She's the one that left me on my own, and never told me anything. It wasn't my fault... right?'

Leila kept reading.

**because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be.**

"That is not a word." Granger exclaimed.

Umbitch mentally sighed. Couldn't these people stop interrupting at every sentence? She wanted to get to the part that would prove that the Potter bitch was lying so she could have her shipped to Azkaban, dammit!

**The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbours would say if the Potters arrived in the street.**

**The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son and a daughter too, but they had never seen them.**

"Probably for good reason." Leila murmured to Draco. "I would have been happy not seeing them all my life."

Draco just gave her an assuring smile. "I know, Princess. I know."

**This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away - they didn't want Dudley mixing with children like that.**

"Children like what?" Reyna snarled, not happy that they were insulting her best friend.

A lot of their friends muttered angrily, as Leila kept on reading.

**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, grey Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country.**

"Foreshadowing." Terry said.

"Strange and Mysterious... Ooh." The Weasley twins said this in a creepy voice, as people chuckled at them. Angelina hit them both above their heads.

**Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a** **screaming Dudley into his highchair.**

**None of them noticed a large tawny owl flutter past the window.**

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Moody shouted, causing majority of the hall to jump from their seats. He was pleased to note that neither Harry or Leila jumped, or any of Leila's best friends.

**At half-past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek and tried to kiss Dudley goodbye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls.**

"Brat." Bill muttered. Percy's scowling expression at Leila didn't change.

**"Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house.**

**He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive. It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar.**

**A cat reading a map.**

"A galleon that's McGonagall." Fred bet.

"Deal," said Seamus. The two of them shook hands, as the rest of the Hall watched the actions of two members from the House of Gambling amusedly.

**For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen-then he jerked his head around to look again. **

**There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive,** **but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light.**

"Or maybe," said Harry scathingly. "It was something like magic!"

Snickers rang out in the Hall, as Leila waited for them to stop.

**Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat.**

**It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in the mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive-no, looking at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs.**

"But Animagi can!" said Fred smugly. Leila, Draco, Terry and Reyna shared a smirk at each other that nobody else noticed.

**Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.**

"Such a boring life." Neville muttered.

"Oh, they can't help it. They must have large infestation of the wrackspurts." Luna said cheerfully.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "The wrackspurts don't exist, Luna."

"Don't be silly." Luna said. "Of course they exist. You just have to know how to look for them."

Hermione scoffed, as most of the DA or the Army of Hogwarts (AoH) groaned at the argument the two had almost every time they met. "Excuse me, but where is the proof for them?" she demanded. "There's no records of them in books! They don't exist Luna!"

Luna's eyes flashed in anger as the bushy-haired witch kept mocking her ideas in front of the entire school. "They exist! Just because you are so narrow-minded that you have to have everything shoved under your nose before you believe it doesn't mean—" She was cut off by the Toad.

"If you would continue this _discussion_," Umbridge spat out that word. "later on, we will now move on."

Luna and Hermione shut their mouths, but stared hard at each other.

**But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else.**

**As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks.**

Ron was confused. "But what's so strange about cloaks?" he asked.

Hermione let out a dramatic, over-suffering toned sigh.

"I told you, Ron. The muggles don't wear cloaks! They wear other things like jeans and t-shirts and jackets!" Leila rolled her eyes at Hermione's I-know-it-all tone of voice.

Ron scoffed. "Bloody mental, they are."

**Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes - the getups you saw on young people!**

**He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by.**

**They were whispering excitedly together.**

Leila felt her stomach drop as she figured out what day it was in the chapter. She reached for Draco's hand to cling to, as she saw in his eyes that he figured it out as well. They clung to each other's hand—Draco to offer comfort, and Leila to receive it.

**Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak!**

**The nerve of him!**

"Honestly!" Susan exclaimed. "What does it matter to him what other people are wearing?"

"It matters a lot to him Susan." Leila answered flatly. "Don't ask me why, I don't know how his mind works, if it works at all."

A few giggles followed that comment. Did the Queen of Hogwarts have a sense of humour?

**But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt-these people were obviously collecting for something…yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.**

"One track mind, he has." Exclaimed Fred.

"Quite right, brother dear." George answered.

**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor.**

**If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at night time.**

"Why not?" Zoe Accrington, a Slytherin pureblood asked.

"In the nature, the owls are usually nocturnal, which means they sleep during day and hunt at night." Terry answered in his Ravenclaw mode. "In the magical world, we changed that with magic so they can deliver post for us, but in the muggle societies, they don't use an owl as a postal system."

Many purebloods and wizard-raised half-bloods were nodding along to Terry's mini-lecture, while Hermione looked miffed that she didn't get to answer.

"But aren't the postal owls supposed to have charms on them that prevents a muggle from seeing them?" Anthony Goldstein asked.

"Ahh, well Mister Goldstein," Flitwick answered, sheepishly. "That day, so much owls were being used that I believe the monitors at the ministry got over-rode and there wasn't enough magical power to keep the charm going. So, the charm got worn off, and we didn't realise until later."

Anthony nodded, as some of Leila's friends gasped, as they figured out what day it was.

**Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more.**

Daphne wrinkled her nose. "He sounds so pleasant, doesn't he?" Leila's friend said, sarcasm dripping off every word. Some of the people sitting around her smirked, including her boyfriend Theo Nott.

**He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road **

Harry did a double take. "Wait, what?" he exclaimed, as he stared at the book in shock. Leila held back a smile at her brother's astonished expression, and continued to read.

**to by himself a bun** **from the bakery.**

"Ahh." Harry nodded. "The world makes sense again."

Leila grinned, and the twins met eyes for once in a very long time. When Harry quickly looked away, she felt the familiar pang of guilt and hurt, but didn't show it on her face.

"Wait, just one?" Draco asked, smirking at her.

Leila smiled at him, knowing that he was trying to cheer her up.

**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy.**

**This lot were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut** **in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

**"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard-"**

**"-yes, their son, Harry –"**

"**only him and his sister Leila-"**

Leila stopped briefly as the rest of the Hall realized what day it was. Leila fought her emotions back, trying not to burst into tears or anything, as she kept reading in a cold, emotion-less voice.

**Mr. Dursley stopped dead.**

"I wish." Leila heard Harry mutter with her brighter-than-normal ears. She chuckled slightly before moving on.

**Fear flooded him.**

**He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.**

**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone and had almost finished dialling his home phone number before he thought better of it.**

"Coward." Colin Creevy shouted.

**He put the receiver back down and stroked his moustache, thinking...** **no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. **

"Eww, Harvey Potter? Harold Potter?" Harry asked. "I'll keep my name, thank you." A low chuckle ran across the Hall.

"Does he know your name now, Harry?" Ginny asked, sounding concerned. Harry gave her a shrug.

"Not sure, actually." Harry answered. "Probably not."

Across the Hall and at the Staff table, several frowns were on the occupants' face, including Sirius' and Remus'.

**Anyway, since when did he have a niece? **

"Excuse me?" Reyna exclaimed, angry on the behalf of her best friend.

Leila snorted. "Yeah well, I like to pretend I don't have an uncle like him, either."

As several people laughed at the comment, Molly Weasley clucked disapprovingly.

"Leila, he is your uncle, and your family. While you may not look eye to eye (Leila and others who knew about her relationship with her family scoffed), you should show him some respect!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed.

Leila and Harry both rolled their eyes, displaying a rare bout of the twin link. Harry added, "Mrs. Weasley, Vernon Dursley is not our family, and never will be. Besides, we will respect if he does the same to us."

Leila hurriedly read on, before anyone else commented about their relationship with their uncle.

**Even if he did, he was sure his niece's name wasn't Leila. It was probably something else. Like Lucy. Or Linda.**

Leila stopped again.

"Eww, Lucy Potter? Linda Potter? Ugh, they're nice names, but it doesn't really go with Potter. I'll just stick with Leila Potter, thank you."

Draco whispered in her ear. "I think the name Leila Black sounds nice as well."

Leila's face went light pink, before she regained her composure. Draco was smirking at her in that frustratingly adorable way, as she stared at him momentarily, her heart beating faster at the comment he'd made.

**There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley, she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her - if he'd had a sister like that... **

Several people frowned at that.

**but all the same, those people in cloaks...**

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone outside the door.**

Ouch.

Leila and Harry winced, feeling sorry for the poor soul that had the misfortune of the giant walrus walking into them.

**"Sorry," he grunted **

"Wait," Harry shouted. "He knows that word?" Most of the Hall chuckled, or giggled, as Leila grinned at his brother, catching his eye. When Harry didn't look away for once, and gave her a small smirk, Leila's grin brightened, eyes lighting up.

Maybe, she might have a second chance with her brother, and be able to make up to him. Leila hoped so.

**as the tiny old man** **stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak.**

Some people were trying to figure out who the mysterious wizard was. One extremely short Charms professor blushed slightly, hoping nobody noticed.

**He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground.**

**On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passers-by stare,**

Professor Flitwick blushed harder. He did not have a squeaky voice!

**"Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"**

Leila glanced up from the book and looked at the still-blushing Charms professor.

"Professor Flitwick," the red-head asked one of her favourite professors, "was that you?"

With a red face, the tiny professor nodded. "Yes, Miss Potter. That was me."

A few people, also having figured this out, giggled.

**And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley round the middle** **and walked off.**

**Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was.**

**He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**

"What a-"

"Horrible life to live!"

"Not approving-"

"Of a magnificent thing-"

"Such as imagination!" The Weasley twins spoke together in their twin-speak, as the rest of the school (except for Fudge, Umbridge, Percy, Professor Snape, and other more reserved members of the Hall) chuckled.

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw - and it didn't improve his mood-was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings round its eyes.**

"It so is McGonagall." Fred Weasley insisted, staring at Seamus, trying to intimidate him into admitting defeat. Of course, being a Gryffindor, the tactic didn't work.

"It's not McGonagall!" Seamus retorted. Others chuckled.

**"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly. The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look.**

"See? That look right there- that's the stereotypical McGonagall look, I tell you!" Fred kept insisting.

"It might not have been a stern look! It could have been a coincidence, or the guy could be imagining it!" Seamus was getting desperate. What happened to his Irish luck? Wasn't that supposed to make him win all the bets?

Fred snorted. "Weren't you listening, mate? He doesn't approve of imagination, remember?"

**Was this normal cat behaviour, Mr. Dursley wondered.**

**Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.**

**Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Shan't!").**

"Oh, yes." Neville sneered, surprising many in the Hall who had never seen this side of him. "Because that is _such_ an accomplishment."

Next to Leila, Draco grinned.

"I think you've finally mastered the fine art of sarcasm, Nev."

**Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:**

**"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in all directions since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern."**

For some reason, many students found this funny and started snickering.

**The newscaster allowed himself a grin.**

"Do you think he knows?" Hannah asked.

"Maybe." Susan answered. "He could be a muggleborn, half-blood or a squib or something."

**"Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**

**"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, **

Reyna's eyes lit up. "Hey, I think this is my dad!"

A few tables away, Nymphadora Tonks (who will hereby be known as Tonks) looked at her.

"Probably, little sis. I remember dad working in the muggle world from time to time when we were younger."

**"I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars!**

"That sounds awesome!" Fred exclaimed.

"Right you are, brother o' mine. I believe we will have to try that!" George answered.

As the majority of the teachers groaned, and Molly began lecturing them, Leila and Draco's eyes shared a gleam as they shared a look. It was a look that could only be recognized by people who knew them best, which were Terry and Reyna. It was a mischievous look that promised trouble, a lot of trouble.

Yes, there will soon be a downpour of shooting stars on the Hogwarts grounds, and the Weasley Twins won't be the ones responsible for it.

**Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early-it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."**

**Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters...**

"The muggle's fitting it all together." Amelia Bones sighed, along with several other people.

**Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her.**

**He cleared his throat nervously. "Err - Petunia, dear - you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

**As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

"That really is horrible." Padma sighed this time.

Harry Potter looked slightly guilty, as well as Percy Weasley, though in Percy's case, it was gone before you could notice it.

**"No," she said sharply. "Why?"**

**"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls…shooting stars…and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today…"**

**"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.**

**"Well, I just thought ... maybe ... it was something to do with ... you know... her crowd."**

"And what is _that _supposed to mean?" Pomona Sprout exclaimed.

"They mean Magicals." Leila answered softly. "Witches and Wizards."

A lot of people looked angry at the Dursleys' attitude.

**Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips.**

**Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter". He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son and their daughter- they'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"**

**"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.**

**"What's their names again? Howard and Linda, isn't it?"**

Harry and Leila wrinkled their noses again.

**"Harry and Leila. Nasty, common name, if you ask me, and who would name their child Leila? Only weirdoes."**

Leila's friends looked outraged in her defense, while Leila clenched her teeth at the insult to her parents.

"Well," Leila muttered so only Draco, Terry and Reyna could hear her. "It's a good thing we don't really care about your opinions, isn't it, Dursleys?"

Draco squeezed her hand again.

**"Oh yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."**

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and** **peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it was waiting for something.**

**Was he imagining things?**

**Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did…if it got out that they were related to a pair of - well, he didn't think he could bear it.**

"And what's just so bad about wizards or witches?" Pansy Parkinson sneered. "Foolish ignorant muggles."

**The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind ...**

**He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on-he yawned and turned over - it couldn't affect them…**

"He just jinxed it." Draco stated matter-of-fact. Leila rolled her eyes at her boyfriend.

**How very wrong he was.**

**Mr. Dursley might have been drifting off into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no signs of sleepiness. It was sitting still as a statue,** **its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed in the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**

"Only an animagus could have that patience." Fred stated smugly. Seamus scowled, starting to give up.

**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground.**

"Nah, just apparation." Terry said.

"We know that, Terry." Reyna smiled.

**The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.**

**Nothing like this man had ever been seen in Privet Drive. He was tall, thin and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt.**

**He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak which swept the ground and high-heeled, buckled boots.**

**His blue eyes were light, bright and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice.**

"Professor Dumbledore!" some students exclaimed.

**This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**

**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived on a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome.**

Dumbledore chuckled.

"Oh, I realized it." He said. "I just didn't care."

**But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."**

**He had found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter.**

"I didn't realize that you smoked, sir!" Lee Jordan exclaimed.

Dumbledore smiled. "I don't, Mr. Jordan."

**He flicked it open, held it up in the air and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop.**

**He clicked it again - the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left in the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him.**

**If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement.**

"Woah! That's-"

"So cool, Professor!" Fred and George said together.

"I want one!" Lee shouted.

"Thank you, Messrs. Weasley. I'm sorry, Mr. Jordan, but I'm afraid that since it is of my invention, there is only one in this world." Dumbledore answered, amused.

Umbridge rolled her eyes. Could these people just stop interrupting?

**Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street towards number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**

**"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

"Ha! Hand over that galleon, Finnigan!" Fred shouted, jubilant.

Seamus grumbled loudly, but dug in his pockets and produced a galleon nonetheless, which Fred carefully pocketed.

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman** **who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one.**

"Professor, you are supposed to be the Head of the Gryffindor! Why would you wear Slytherin colours?" George asked, acting as if he was wounded.

McGonagall looked like she was about to scoff. "I happen to enjoy the colour, Mister Weasley."

The twins, as well as other known Gryffindor pranksters acted like they were betrayed.

**Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.**

**"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."**

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.**

**"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**

Leila swallowed hard, trying to force down her emotions. She knew that people was celebrating the fact that Voldemort was (almost) dead, but to her, it seemed ridiculous that her parents had just died, and people were having parties. Draco wrapped an arm around her, and pulled her to him in a sort of half-hug.

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**

**"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no - even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursley's dark living room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls…shooting stars…Well, they're not completely stupid.**

"That's a little rude, professor." Colin Creevy said.

"My apologies, Mister Creevy. I simply meant that they weren't dismissing everything like they normally do. It was merely the stress of that day that made me pick a poor wording." Professor McGonagall explained.

Leila felt herself tense at yet another reminder of that Halloween, as at the next table from her, Harry buried his face into Sirius' robes, drawing comfort.

**They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent-I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."**

**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

"Eleven years." Reyna muttered softly. "That's a long time."

Her three best friends nodded.

**"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumours."**

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about as all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"**

"He has gone, but he wasn't dead." Leila said clearly.

Umbridge's eyes narrowed. "Stop lying Miss Potter, unless you would like another detention."

Leila lifted her right eyebrow. "I'm not lying, _Professor,_ and detentions may not be given during the course of reading these books, remember?"

Umbridge smiled a toad-like smile. "Ah, but Mr. G.P.B only said that detentions can not be given for what is revealed in the books. I can still give you a detention for lying to a teacher. Please see me after reading is over today at my office."

Leila mentally groaned, but didn't show it. She gave the pink Toad a death glare, which she was proud to note she flinched at, but had no choice except to agree.

"Yes, Professor." Leila sighed. Her hand was still hurting from last night.

_Bitch_

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for.** **Would you care for a lemon drop?"**

**"A what?"**

**"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."**

**"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops.**

"You and your lemon drops." McGonagall groaned, shaking her head. Dumbledore's eyes just merely twinkled, as he popped another candy in his mouth.

**"As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone-"**

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this You-Know-Who nonsense - for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort."**

Many people, excluding Dumbledore, Harry, Hermione, A few members of the Order, Leila and the people who were in the Army of Hogwarts, flinched at the name, as Harry and Leila both rolled their eyes.

**Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemons drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying You-Know-Who".**

**"I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."**

"The fear of a name increases the fear of the thing itself." Harry recited proudly, as Dumbledore looked at a spot over Harry's head proudly.

Harry scowled. Why wouldn't Dumbledore look at him?

**"I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring.**

**"But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."**

"Not anymore." Draco whispered to Leila. "I bet my Nimbus that Voldemort's probably frightened of you too, by now."

**"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**

Leila whispered, but everyone in the Hall heard her. "There are powers that a human being is not to use." Inside of her, she felt energy swirling, like Lady Hogwarts agreed with her.

**"Only because you're too – well - noble to use them."**

**"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore** **and said, "The owls are nothing to the rumours that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him? He went to find the Potters. The rumour is that Lily and James Potter are-are-that they're–dead."**

Harry reached for Sirius's hand and tightly gripped it, as Draco's arm around Leila became tighter. Leila clenched her teeth as she pushed her emotions back, not willing to let anyone other than her best friends see her weak. She swallowed hard, keeping a blank face, as she lifted her chin and continued reading.

**Dumbledore bowed his head. **

**Professor McGonagall gasped.**

**"Lily and James…I can't believe it…I didn't want to believe it…Oh, Albus…"**

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder.**

"Thank you for caring, professor." Harry said softly. Leila was silent, a cold look on her face, that few recognized as her mask. Percy looked at the girl he used to care for as a sister, and the familiar emotion of wanting to comfort her suddenly surged up, before that emotion was gone as sudden as it arrived, leaving behind only the familiar mental voice in his head.

_She's just an attention seeking liar... She's a brat... She's a murderer... An attention seeking liar..._

Professor McGonagall sniffed. "Of course I cared, Mr. Potter. Lily and James were two of my best students. They were a very good friend to me, after they graduated."

**"I know…I know…" he said heavily.**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potters' twins, Harry and Leila. But-he couldn't. He couldn't kill the little twins. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry and Leila Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke** **-and that's why he's gone."**

"And he IS gone!" insisted Umbridge. "He is not returning!" Leila didn't even bother looking at her, overwhelmed at just trying to keep a lid on her emotions.

**"It's-it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done…all the people he's killed…he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding**…**of all the things to stop him…but how in the name of heaven did Harry and Leila survive?"**

'I know...' Leila thought. 'He will have power that the Dark Lord knows not...'

Leila bit her lips. Nowadays, whenever she thought of the prophecy, she couldn't stop herself from thinking of The Plan, capitalizations necessary, that she made the past Christmas break.

'Neither can live while the other survives...'

**"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

**Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge.**

**It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though,** **because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?"**

**"I've come to bring Harry and Leila to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family they have left now."**

Harry bit his lips. Family, his arse. The Dursleys never cared for him or Leila.

**"You don't mean - you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore - you can't. I've been watching them all day.** **You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son - I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets**."

"Thanks for trying anyway, professor." Harry muttered softly, but the cat animagus heard him. She nodded to him, with a sad face.

**"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly.**

**"His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to them when they're older. **

**I've written them a letter."**

"A letter, Professor?" Hermione Granger, as well as several women in the room exclaimed.

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand this!** **Harry'll be famous - a legend - I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future- there will be books written about Harry- every child in our world will know his name!"**

"Joy." Harry muttered sarcastically, and bitterly. Just another reminder that his parents were dead.

Several of the Slytherins looked at him curiously. Did the Gryffindor Golden Boy not like his fame?

**"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half- moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head.**

**Famous before he can walk and talk! **

"Actually," said Terry. "By the age of one and a half, most babies at least begin to walk, and they can talk, at least a little."

Leila and Draco rolled their eyes and smirked. "Thank you, Mr. Encyclopedia." They said at the same time, drawing stares. The two shared a glance with each other, before smirking at the Hall. "It's a best friend thing." They said together again.

The Hall was silent for a moment.

"Creepy~" A Gryffindor third year sang.

**Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it? And can you imagine the effect this may have on Leila, watching her famous twin from the sidelines from such an early age? She'll grow jealous and spiteful quickly."**

"_Thanks, _Professor." Leila said sarcastically, her bad mood not helping. "What a _fantastic_ opinion you have of me." She wasn't shallow! Was she?

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed and then said, "Yes - yes, you're right, of course.** **But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding the twins underneath it.**

"Ugh, bad mental images!" Seamus shouted.

Harry remained silent, clutching his godfather's hand.

"**Hagrid's bringing him."**

**"You think it - wise - to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

"I would trust Hagrid with my life." The Golden Trio (Harry, Ron and Hermione) shouted in Hagrid's defense.

Hagrid grinned, in thanks.

**"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.**

Some of the students' raised their eyebrows at the similar answer. Jeez, déjà vu much?

Sirius was snickering at the three of them for _thinking like a teacher, _before Harry punched him in the arm.

**"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to - what was that?"**

When Ron opened his mouth to protest, Harry nudged him with his elbow.

"Fluffy, Norbert, the Stone, Aragog, Blast-ended Skrewts. Need I go on?" That shut him up.

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight;**

**it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky - and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**

Sirius frowned, before his expression brightened. That was his old motorcycle! The dog animagus remembered borrowing it to Hagrid... that night. Sirius frowned thoughtfully.

Wonder what happened to his precious baby?

Fred and George's eyes lit up. A flying motorcycle! That sounded awesome!

**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. **

**He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide.**

**He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild –long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face,** **he had hands the size of dustbin lids and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

"The book makes him sound like he's really scary." Remus commented.

"It does... until the blankets ruined the effect." Sirius snickered, desperately trying to distract himself from the memory of that night. It didn't work very well.

Unbeknownst to him, Leila was also trying not to get lost in her memory/nightmare.

_No! Not the twins, please. Not the twins. Kill me instead!_

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"**

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant,** **climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it me.** **I've got them, sir."**

Sirius grinned and took a bow, as Fred and George Weasley started clapping.

**"No problems, were there?"**

**"No, sir - house was almost destroyed but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' round. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol, and I think Leila just fell asleep a few minutes ago." **

"Aww..." many of the females cooed at that. Harry blushed bright pink, while Leila's face was only slightly pink, as she glared around the room.

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning. There was a baby girl, curling around him protectively with curly wisps of dark red hair covering the matching scar on her forehead.**

The females cooed again at the cute description of the Twins, turning Harry's face even brighter. Leila rubbed at the scar. _The bloody scar..._ She hated that scar. It was nothing but a pain in the arse.

Speaking of pain, the headache she had been feeling from her scar had strangely faded, and she couldn't feel it anymore. Leila wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, but _strange..._

**"Is that where -? " whispered Professor McGonagall.**

**"Yes", said Dumbledore. "They'll have that scar forever."**

"Unfortunately." The twins both muttered at the same time, though they didn't realize.

**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

"I couldn't." Answered Dumbledore to the Hall. "It was a scar, from a very dark curse. There are some things even magic cannot cure."

Leila rubbed her right arm where the faint mark from the basilisk fang remained. Unfortunately, that was true. Fawkes had arrived in time to neutralize the poison in her body, but even phoenix tears hadn't managed to cure the scar remaining.

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in useful.** **I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. **

"We didn't really need to know that, professor." Lee said. Dumbledore merely chuckled.

**Well - give them here, Hagrid - we'd better get this over with."**

"What are we, chores?" muttered Leila, her mood angry again. She was usually good at controlling her emotions, but she had been getting incredible mood swings this year, usually accompanied by a prickle in her scar. Leila closed her eyes to count to ten as Draco rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand, calming her down. She opened her eyes and sighed, feeling her anger ebbing away.

**Dumbledore took the twins in his arms and turned towards the Dursleys' house.**

**"Could I - could I say goodbye to them, sir?" asked Hagrid. **

Harry and Leila smiled sadly at their big friend.

**He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss, and petted Leila's cheeks.**

**Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**

"Hey!" Sirius protested at the word dog. The golden trio plus Ginny giggled, as most of the rest of the Hall stared in confusion. Leila only smiled slightly.

**"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"**

"Oh yes, because a big flying loud motorcycle wouldn't do that." Terry said sarcastically. McGonagall's face flushed quickly.

"Well, Mister Boot, I had to try and calm him down somehow, did I not?" the Transfiguration professor asked. "It was the best excuse I could think of at the time."

**"S-s- sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it.**

**"But I c-c-can't stand it - Lily an' James dead - an' poor little Harry and Leila off ter live with Muggles –"**

"Thanks, Hagrid." Harry said softly, as Leila smiled at the half-giant. Hagrid blew his nose in response, the book reminding him of the fateful day.

**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door.**

**He laid Harry and Leila gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak,** **tucked it inside Harry's blankets and then came back to the other two. **

A moment of pause.

"Wait." Hermione growled. "You just left two one year olds on a doorstep on a cold November night with only a letter and a blanket?" That resulted in Harry and Leila's friends all shouting protests at the three adults who were present at the time. Sirius was screaming at Albus, while even professor Snape was staring at Dumbledore in disbelief.

Hagrid and Professor McGonagall looked sheepish.

Molly took over, her screeching audible over everyone's shouts. "They could have frozen to death! The poor boy could have walked away, or he could have been kidnapped by Deatheaters! Albus, that was very irresponsible—"

Dumbledore let out a series of loud blasts from his wand.

"Quiet!" he bellowed. After a moment, everyone quieted down to hear what the Headmaster had to say.

"Thank you. Now, to answer Miss Granger's question, yes I left them on a doorstep, or to be more specific, a doorstep of their aunt. However, Molly, I had placed charms on them while I was speaking with professor McGonagall and Hagrid, that would keep them from wandering off or being kidnapped, as well as warming charms and cushioning charms so they could be comfortable while they were sleeping. Now if Miss Potter could continue reading?"

**For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously and the twinkling light that usually shone in Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

Hagrid's shoulders were also shaking now, as he blew his nose in a particularly large handkerchief. McGonagall's lips were very thin, as she kept blinking tears that crept up at the reading of this chapter again. Dumbledore also had the look of grieving on his face, which suddenly made him look older.

**"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."**

Harry snorted. "Oh yes, can't miss the celebrations." He said sarcastically. Hermione and Molly Weasley frowned at his tone, but didn't say anything.

**"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back.**

Sirius smiled shakily, trying not to sound affected by the heavy chapter. "You know, I never got that bike back. Whatever happened to it?"

Hagrid chuckled. "I gave it ter Authur for safekeeping." When Sirius looked to the Weasley patriarch for confirmation, he nodded.

"I have it in my shed. Never used it."

**"G'night, Professor McGonagall - Professor Dumbledore, sir."**

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorbike and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**

Leila began to lessen the grip on Draco's hand now that the hardest parts of the chapter was over. She looked down, and Draco's hand looked completely white. Looks like she had cut off the circulation in her boyfriend's hand. Oops.

**"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her.**

**Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**

A few people chuckled at that, trying to lighten the mood.

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street.**

**He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

"And so it begins." Leila murmured.

**A breeze ruffled the hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. **

**Leila shifted in her sleep and Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. **

"Aww." Ginny, Lavender and a few other Gryffindor girls cooed. Next to Harry, Ron smothered a chuckle.

**One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, **

"Wish I wasn't." Harry groaned. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Sirius and Remus chuckled, having been the only ones to hear it.

**not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, **

"Ain't that a great way to wake up?" Fred said sarcastically, drawing a few laughs.

**nor that she would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by her cousin Dudley... **

Draco frowned, as he put an arm around Leila protectively. Across the table, Terry smirked at him.

**he couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived, and Leila Potter – his sister!"**

Leila looked up. "Chapter's over. Who wants to read next?"

"Wait." Draco said. "I'd like to read, but weren't we supposed to have more guests?"

Before anyone could answer, however, there was a rectangle of rippling air right in front of the staff table that Leila recognized as a portal. Leila frowned. No methods of magical transportation worked unless her, or Lady Hogwarts approved it.

Before Leila continued her thought however, the air began to ripple more violently, before three people suddenly stepped out of it, causing gasps around the Hall from startledness.

* * *

**AN: So here's the first chapter of reading! I hope you enjoyed it and the cliffhanger at the end- who would the mysterious three people be? You probably noticed how I changed the original text a little to accommodate for Leila's existence. From the next chapter on, I will basically be rewriting the original text and changing quite a few wordings, and the plot will be a little different from Canon. I hope you don't mind, and that you are looking forward to the next chapter!**

**Thanks to everyone who read this, and special thanks to alliemill98, kelleyg137 and shinigamigymnast13 who took the time to follow and/or favourite this! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please review!**

**Love,**

**Leila xo**


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